Fortune favours the brave, is a popular expression that describes how courage breaks borders and initiates a breakthrough in one’s life.
BY TINOTENDA SAMUKANGE
Standard Style last week caught up with 25-year-old Tatenda Samukange, founder and CEO of Skylake Borehole Drilling Company Zimbabwe. With a complex background that entails a tale of rags to riches, Samukange describes his path as a fortune that arrived at a right time when he was ready to face whatever life could offer at a tender age.
Having written his O’ Levels examination in June and November of the same year, Samukange had mixed thoughts over whether he would make it in his life through the academic path. However, he proceeded to A’ Level and passed before making his final decision of ending his academic journey.
“A few months after leaving high school in 2013 my uncle offered me a job at an information technology company as a marketer, but without the necessary qualifications I managed to sail through and scooped the best performer and got promoted to head the Bulawayo branch,” Samukange said.
“However, I didn’t last at his company. I left with a few savings and stayed home for about three months navigating other business opportunities I could venture into.
“I then got into buying and selling of cars as a source of capital.”
Establishing a borehole drilling company that now competes with some of the country’s renowned firms was not a stroll in the park for Samukange, who at a tender age left his education to venture into the world of the unknown.
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“By end of 2015 God intervened through a client I had dealt with when I was selling cars as he offered me a job on commission in his borehole drilling company,” he said.
“Having worked for him on commission for a few months I released myself to start my own thing and by mid-2016 I registered my own company giving birth to Skylake Borehole Drilling on an empty ground.
“After registering Skylake I was faced with several challenges since I had no office or equipment and had to make do with hiring from other firms. This was very costly but I had no choice.
“Before year end Lady Luck proved to be on my side as I won a tender of US$14 000. This made a huge turnaround in my business as I made massive profits from it. The tender also played a crucial referral part in my business and I started getting prominent clients.” Everything started kicking off for Samukange in 2017 as he opened his first office and by end of the same year he had acquired his first rig truck.
“At 22 years old, doors opened for me. I opened my first one-room office, expanded my operations and also managed to acquire my first rig truck. I believe this was as a result of unique marketing strategies ahead of other competitors,” he said
During his earliest days in the drilling industry, Samukange said he used to conceal his role as the founder and owner of the business. However, he kept his low profile so that other business partners and clients would take him seriously.
“I used to disguise my position as I felt I was too young. I thought other clients and business partners would not take me seriously at that age,” he said
Samukange urged young entrepreneurs to break fear barriers by taking risks, having self-confidence and always acting responsibly.
